Get ready for treatment
What to expect
There are 2 phases to starting SUBLOCADE.
Once you and your treatment provider have decided that SUBLOCADE is right for you, treatment can begin.
Induction
Before receiving SUBLOCADE, you’ll need to take a daily transmucosal form of buprenorphine (under the tongue or inside the cheek) for at least 7 days to help control withdrawal symptoms. Make sure your follow-up appointment is scheduled.
Administration
SUBLOCADE will be administered in an office by your treatment provider after you complete induction.
People who have Opioid Use Disorder have an elevated risk for opioid overdose. Talk to your healthcare provider about naloxone. Naloxone is a medicine that is available to patients for emergency treatment of an opioid overdose. It is not a treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.
What to expect during the appointment
Your treatment provider will administer SUBLOCADE
The injection is given just under the skin (subcutaneous) in your abdomen.
You may feel or see a small bump
A small bump under your skin at the injection site for several weeks is normal. The bump is called a depot, which releases medicine throughout the month. Over time, as medication is released into your body, the bump will get smaller. See how the depot works.
Talk to your treatment provider if you have questions about the size of the bump.
Do not try to remove the depot, and do not rub or massage the injection site. Likewise, try not to let belts or waistbands rub against the injection site.
Find a SUBLOCADE treatment provider
For more information on how to find a facility, call INSUPPORT® at 1-844-467-7778.
What to know about dosing
SUBLOCADE comes in 2 doses: 300 mg and 100 mg. You’ll receive a dose once a month (with at least 26 days between doses).
Your treatment provider will start with 300 mg to help the medication reach an effective level in your body. After 2 months at 300 mg monthly, the recommended maintenance dose is 100 mg monthly. Some patients may later need a dose increase to 300 mg monthly. Your treatment provider will decide what's best. Learn more about how SUBLOCADE sustains medication levels in your body.
If you miss a dose, see your treatment provider as soon as possible.
The level of medicine in your blood is important. Ask your treatment provider about how the delivery system used in SUBLOCADE maintains medicine levels even when the dose is lowered (e.g., from 300 mg to 100 mg on month 3).
Stay committed
It may take time for your brain to reset and for you to make healthy changes. Be patient and stay with your treatment plan. Don’t give up.
If you experience a slip-up and use illicit opioids while on SUBLOCADE, talk to your treatment provider. Because buprenorphine blocks the rewarding effects of opioids,* continued opioid use can become less appealing.
The journey towards recovery is different for everyone. Some people may experience relapse. If this happens to you, treatment can be restarted. You can keep moving towards recovery.
Tell your treatment provider about your goals, so you can work together to decide the length of treatment.
*In a 12-week study of 39 non-treatment-seeking adults, SUBLOCADE blocked the rewarding effects of an opioid.
Save on SUBLOCADE
For most people with insurance, SUBLOCADE is covered. Check with your insurance provider for more details.